


Have You Tried Turning It On and Off?

by goddess_julie



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/F, Fluff, Genderswap, M/M, Pining, Pining Liam, girl!Liam - Freeform, girl!Zayn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-29
Updated: 2014-11-29
Packaged: 2018-02-27 11:19:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2690975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goddess_julie/pseuds/goddess_julie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zayn works at the Genius Bar at Apple.  She's visited by a lad named Louis who claims to be gay but wants to know if she's single.  She fixes peoples Apple problems and in the meantime, fixes a problem she didn't even realize she had.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Have You Tried Turning It On and Off?

**Author's Note:**

> I know nothing about what it's like to work at Apple. Or with tech. The only times I've been to the Genius Bar is when I needed help with my iPod. I tried to make the problems as basic as possible so people who aren't technologically retarded aren't all 'what the huh?". So yeah. Just a cute little fluffy fic I thought of for today's writing.

Normally Zayn loves her job. Normally, she's happy to go to work, set herself up at the Genius Bar in Apple and help people fix problems that they're having with their electronics. She knows how complex that technology is and that it takes a very special wiring in your mind to be able to fully understand what is going on and how not to panic when something crashes. It's not that she's smarter than other people, well she is but that's a whole other issue, it's that she's always been the type to try to take something apart and learn how it works before she tries to fix it.

Not everyone has that critical thinking embedded deep in their brains. And after fixing countless computers for friends, Niall had suggested that she actually make a living doing it. She'd taken the necessary courses and has found herself for the time being getting experience in by working at an Apple Store before she tries to make her way up to work for Apple right out. Like in the big offices.

Christmas time seems to be the worst for it, at least it feels that way. She's been here coming up on eight months and when she thought back-to-school was hectic, it is nothing compared to the droves of people coming through the doors. Some knowing what they want, some not having any clue. Some needing help learning how to use their phones and some having fucked up their computers to a point where Zayn had actually told one man that it would just be easier for him to buy a new computer and start over.

The man had scoffed at her, implying that she couldn't fix his computer so her alternative was to con him into buying more Apple Products to hide her incompetence. It took four other Apple employees to confirm what Zayn had already told him. In basic terms, he was fucked.

According to the clock in the staff room, Zayn has ten minutes to get her bearings about her. They've got a full day of booked Genius Bar appointments and they're everything from easy fixes that Zayn can do in her sleep to things that she's not even sure are possible. She grins at Harry and Josh, her favourite team to work with if she's honest, and starts to shake the tension out of her arms and legs. They all do their pre-opening stretches and make sure that their own phones and tablets are at their stations, their name tags around their necks and everything they need will be at their fingertips. 

"We ready everyone?" Paul calls from the front of the store. He's about to open the gates and they can already see the dozen or so people milling about outside in the mall, waiting for entrance.

"Aye," they all call out. Paul opens the gates and it begins.

Zayn has one more appointment she's assigned before she can take her lunch break. It's just coming up on one thirty and she's starving. She's spent more time than she'd wanted to with a snotty teen who was having problem with his icloud backing up and encrypting his files. Although he'd booked an appointment, he was sure that he knew how to fix it and spent the entire time telling Zayn what the problem was. She'd finally taken the phone from him and showed him what he was doing wrong and reset some of his settings to allow him to do what he'd wanted to do. With a smile that was forced, she'd bid him a nice day and had nearly given the finger to his retreating back.

The name on her screen says Louis. His appointment was for 12:45 and she knows that there have been appointments booked later that have already been seen so she's unsure as to why he's still in the queue. 

"Asked for you specifically," Harry tells her when she voices this thought out loud. Her eyes scan over the crowd and she stops on a guy who is flawlessly tanned, has sparkling blue eyes and a smirk that Zayn knows probably hides a thousand witty remarks to any situation. His hair is artfully styled to look messy but not offensively so.

He's absolutely stunning and judging from the frown on Harry's face as he confidently strides up to Zayn with a sexy smirk, Harry thinks so too. Zayn pastes a friendly smile on her face and nods as he approaches.

"Hi, I'm Zayn. But apparently you already know that." She says. She tries to hide the smirk when she hears Harry groan to her right when an eighty year old woman saddles up to his spot at the bar and tells him that her weefee on her electric book isn't working.

"Louis," Louis says as he slides effortlessly onto a stool. His eyes focus on Harry who is smiling patiently at his customer and Zayn watches him swallow thickly when Harry pulls out the dimples. 

Zayn clears her throat. "Well Louis, how can I help you today?"

With great effort, Louis tears his eyes from Harry and focuses back on Zayn. She watches him shake himself out and they share a smile. 

"Louis? Your reason for being here today?" Zayn checks her iPad to see what he'd listed down as the problem. Phone and iPad notes and calendars not synching.

"Are you single?" Louis says with a coy smile. 

Zayn frowns. "I'm not interested."

"What?"

"You're not my type Louis," Zayn's voice is flat, her eyes have glassed over and she's ready to end this appointment. Her finger his hovering over her ipad screen when Louis yelps.

"I'm gay." Louis laughs. Zayn relaxes for a moment and out of the corner of her eye she sees Harry sit up straight.

"That makes two of us," Zayn says. She's not relaxed but she's not fully raised her hackles any longer.

"Brilliant," Louis says. "Brilliant, just what I wanted to hear." He taps a few things out on his phone and sneaks a look Harry.

"Harry's single too, aren't you Haz."" Zayn grins at the way Harry beams at her, winking and nodding at Louis.

"Single and willing," Harry mumbles as he's half listening to the woman before him and half to Zayn's conversation with Louis.

"Your phone?" Zayn holds her hand out and waits patiently for Louis to hand it over. When he does she flicks through a few things and looks up. "Your iPad? Did you bring it?"

He produces it from the messenger bag that he has over his shoulder. 

A few moments later Zayn has changed his settings and restarted both devices. She hands them back to Louis with a flourish. It doesn't happen often but Louis has rattled her a little. If he's gay she doesn't know why he wanted to know if she was single. She ignores her fluttering stomach and smiles at him. There you go, should be all fixed."

Louis breaks from where he'd been watching Harry and smiles. "Thanks Zayn. I owe you."

With that, he's gone and she ends the appointment with more force than necessary. She lets Harry know she's gone for half an hour and that she'll be in the back if he needs her. She knows he won't.

A week passes by. Zayn is drowning in appointments and they're short since Josh had caught a cold and had been sent home. She's barely had time to use the loo let alone go on break and she's worried that she's going to faint from exhaustion when a venti Starbucks cup is placed on the bar in front of her. With a glance at her tablet, she sees her next appointment is 'Louis' who is having trouble syncing photos from his phone to his laptop.

"You look like you need this," Louis says with a smile. Zayn looks around and realizes that he's talking to her. She sighs in relief and grasps the cup with both hands.

"God I love you," she moans. It's just what she needs and while normally they're not allowed coffee on the floor, she knows that Paul won't bother her since she's already put in two doubles over the past few days and will probably stay until close today again.

"Of course you do, dove." Louis sits down and pulls out his macbook. Zayn takes a few moments to let the caffeine thrum through her body before she focuses. She waits for him to connect his iPhone to his laptop and waits for it to register so she can see what the problem is. 

The only problem she can see at the moment is that there are no problems. His pictures are syncing immediately to his laptop and just as she's about to say something, he opens up a folder named Payno.

Inside are pictures of the most beautiful woman Zayn has ever seen in her life. Whoever this girl is, she has plush, pink lips. In some shes biting her lower lip, deep in thought or shy and embarassed. She's got long brown hair that is cut to frame her face perfectly. In some of the pictures she's dressed in a footie uniform, her hair pulled back in a pony tail as she is in various points of play in a game. Zayn is amazed at how gorgeous and elegant she looks yet at the same time how athletic and strong she is. Zayn is breathless.

"Huh, look at that. Louis says with a sheepish shrug. "Guess I just needed to connect the phone to the laptop." He looks up at Zayn who is pointedly NOT staring at the pictures on his screen. She tries to ignore the blush that she can feel creeping up her throat to her cheeks.

"You're wasting my time Louis," Zayn whispers softly. 

"Do you think she's fit?" Louis asks kindly. "I mean, that's my friend. I was taking pictures for a photography class I'm in and, she's gorgeous isn't she?"

Zayn swallows thickly and nods. She focuses on taking a deep breath in and out before looking up at Louis. "Beautiful."

Louis messes around a bit more on his computer before checking his watch. He gives an apologetic frown and starts to shut down his computer. "Well, my time is up. Wanted to make sure you got a proper break today." Zayn checks her iPad to see that this appointment has just been over twenty minutes. 

It feels as though it's been a proper break. She feels energized and ready to continue her shift. With a genuine smile she looks up and smiles at Louis.

"Thank you," she says. Before she can second guess herself, she taps out a few numbers and a name and texts them to Louis' phone. She hears his text notification and watches him smile.

"Are you allowed to do that?" Louis laughs. "Just violate customer's privacy by stealing their phone numbers and programming yours in their phones?"

Zayn shrugs. "Oh, well I can always tell Harry not to answer if you call." She laughs as Louis checks the message and his eyes bug out at what he sees. She nods. "Call him, you won't regret that you did."

"You Zayn..."

"Malik," Zayn supplies.

"You Zayn Malik are the best customer service representative I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with. Top notch service, this was." Louis' voice raises to a level that everyone in the store can hear him. He turns around to look at his audience and grins. "This woman here just saved my technological life. Ace employee! I will never shop anywhere else thanks to Zayn at the Genius Bar."

"Louis, shut up!" Zayn hisses as everyone starts to aplaud. She's left with a wink and a wave and a blush that doesn't disappear for at least an hour.

It's two nights before Christmas Eve and while Zayn has kept up with Louis through Harry, she's not seen him since that day with the photographs. She and Harry are both working the early shift and as always, it's a packed day with appointments. She's surprised though, when she sees that she's got an hour appointment booked specifically for a macbook tutorial. She fills in when they're short, but this customer has specifically requested her and she doesn't recognize the name.

Liam.

It's near the end of her day, from 3-4pm and Paul has assured her that once she's done this tutorial, she can get out early and do some last minute shopping of her own.

The day passes surprisingly fast with Zayn barely having enough time to watch the clock. Before she knows it, she's being pinged on her iPad as a reminder that in five minutes she's got that tutorial with Liam. It's not enough time to take another customer at the bar and the schedule tells her that Liam has just signed in with Jesy and is waiting for his appointment. 

Zayn takes a moment to rush to the loo and get a drink before she has to help some bloke who probably wants her to set up his computer for him and can sit back and flirt with her for an hour while she does all of the work. She checks Liam's location and sees that Jesy has put them in the farthest back table, away from most of the hustle and bustle of the shopping and customers. Zayn texts Jesy a thank you with a few dozen x and os and heads back to where she is to be meeting with Liam.

It's a shock however, when she finds a very beautiful but uncomfortable looking girl at the table. "Uhhh, hi," Zayn says nervously. This girl looks familiar but she can't pin point where she knows her from. "I'm sorry but..."

"This is where the girl told me to sit." Zayn's stomach flutters at the girl's voice, the way she licks her lips and tucks her hair behind her ears in a nervous tic.

"You're Liam?" Zayn asks, incredulous. The girl nods.

"Yeah. Liam Payne. I need... well see my mate got me a computer for Christmas and gave it to me early, and I don't really ... I've only ever really had a regular laptop, not an Apple so..."

Zayn watches Liam bite her lip between her teeth and she feels her stomach flutter. "LIam. Payne." She whispers to herself. It's then, watching Liam nibble on her lip that she recognizes her. "Payno. You're Payno?"

Liam blushes and nods.

"You know Louis?" 

Liam's eyes widen and she looks surprised that Zayn knows enough to connect them. 

"I knew you looked familiar," Zayn says with a blush. She looks down at the laptop between them and nods for Liam to turn it on. When Liam doesn't move, Zayn shrugs.

"He came in, had problems with his laptop. Or pretended he did. Showed me pictures..." Zayn stops when Liam groans and covers her face. 

"He showed you his pictures?"

Zayn nods. "Yeah. They were really good." She sees Liam deflate a little.

"He's a great photographer. He did really well on that project."

"I'd say so. They were great pictures. It's not hard though when your subject is beautiful." Zayn speaks without even realizing what she's said. They both blush and Liam focuses on the laptop in front of her.

"I brought my other computer too, just in case you would be able to show me how to move everything over?"

Zayn nods and has her set her old laptop up too. Once she's been given permission, Zayn starts checking out Liam's old laptop vs her new. It's obvious why Louis bought her a new one, since the one she had was well over ten years old. With a few strokes of the keys she sees Liam trying to keep up with her silently and pauses. 

"Did you want me to show you?"

Liam nods. "Yeah. I want to know where things are going and how to do it. Tommo said you were the best, that you'd be able to help me and teach me what I'm doing."

Forty five minutes later and Zayn has moved everything over and set up Liam's computer to how she can most easily optimize the programs she uses. She's been a very good student and they've been bent over the screen going over programs and all trouble shooting that Zayn can think that Liam may need to know.

"And you can always make an appointment with us if there's something you can't fix," she says with a smile. Zayn sees Liam blush.

"I just ... have a question about my iPhone calendar."

Zayn waits patiently for Liam to show her the problem. 

"Oh god," Liam finally says in a rush. Lou said this would work but I'm too embarrassed to do it."

"Do what?"

"Well, Louis told me to tell you I have a problem with my calendar and when you asked what it is, I am to say 'well I don't have a date with you in it'. But it's horribly cheesy and you'll probably laugh at me."

Zayn has never in her life been more endeared with someone than she is right now, in this moment with Liam Payne. She lets a soft sigh escape her lips and fights not to pull her in a hug.

"I think that I should see your calendar, just to make sure it's not a bug in your operating system."

Liam's eyes widen and her jaw drops, which gives Zayn the chance to pull her phone out of her hands. She flicks through a few apps until finally settles onto her calendar. Once she's typed a few more things in she hands the phone back to Liam with a smile.

"There was a problem with your calendar. I've synced and updated it. Your problem should be fixed."

Wordlessly, Zayn watches Liam look through her phone. She can tell the moment the other girl has opened her calendar. Liam's cheeks are now an impressive shade of scarlet and she's biting her lip almost clear through the skin. Zayn has never wanted to taste anyone's mouth so badly. 

"Yeah?" Liam asks shyly. "You want to have dinner with me today?"

"And every day Leeyum," Zayn admits softly. "There is some shopping I need to do, but if you don't mind hanging out with me for about an hour and a half before we go for dinner..."

"YES." Liam answers quickly. She coughs to hide her embarrassment and grins. "I mean, yeah. I'd love to."

"Good, and then you can help me get a gift for Louis while we're at it. I suddenly feel the need to buy him something big and expensive."

"That makes two of us, "Liam admits with a smile. 

Their hour is up and Zayn tells Liam to wait for her where she is. She has to clock out and get her things and once she's done, they are free to go. Ten minutes later she heads back out into the throngs of people and finds Liam typing furiously into her phone. She's packed up both of her computers and smiles when Zayn approaches.

"We just need to go get my things and put this away," Liam admits sheepishly. She leads Zayn out of the Apple Store and across the hall to the Disney Store.

"What are we doing here?" Zayn is confused. As they walk into the toy filled store, Zayn sees Liam nodding to one of the girls on the floor and the two guys behind the cash register.

"My coat and my other things are here. Plus I'm going to leave my laptops here and just bring them home tomorrow."

Zayn's confusion is growing by the minute. Liam pauses and takes a deep breath. 

"Let me just get my things and I'll explain." 

Zayn can only nod. As she waits for Liam, she starts looking at the plush toys and clothes and starts to pick items up and put in a basket that was handed to her by a girl named "Sophia" who was working on the floor greeting customers. She's got toys for Doniya's two kids and Niall's nephew Theo before she's joined by Liam who looks pleased at her choices. 

"Here, let me show you where the best stuff is." Liam leads her through the store to a spot in the middle of the store where all of the new arrivals have been set up. Once they've filled two baskets, Liam leads Zayn to the cash register where they wait patiently. It's clear that Liam works here and they could bypass the line, but Zayn is enjoying the domestic simplicity of them shopping together and while she's only known Liam for just over an hour, she feels that they've known each other all of their lives. Conversation is easy and once they've gotten to the front of the line, Liam blushes as they're called up to the next available cashier.

"Did you find everything you were looking for today Zayn?"

Zayn starts when this stranger with bright dyed red hair smiles knowingly at her. She checks her neck for her name tag and finds none. 

"Oh we all know your name here Genius Zayn."

Michael, (his name tag is pinned above his breast) nods behind Zayn and she looks through the mall for a perfect view of the Apple Store. She can see Josh, Harry and Ed working at the Genius Bar and can see exactly where she would be sitting if she was still at work. Liam is not the only one blushing now.

"You..." Zayn turns to Liam who is hiding her face in her hands.

With a cocky smirk, Michael continues to ring up Zayn's purchases, pausing only for Liam to walk around the counter and punch in her code. Zayn watches as her total declines incredibly so that she's now paying only half of the original cost.

"Staff get discounts," Liam says softly. "So do friends and family of staff."

"Friends and family are only 30%, but you're special so shes' giving you the staff discount," Michael teases. "Because she luuuuuvs you. She's been mooning over you for months now."

"Michael," Liam whines. "You are so fired."

They're surprised when the bloke at the next cash register cheers. "Ashton" grins at Liam and gives her a high five. "Awesome! Knew you were my favourite for a reason Payno."

"You'd be lost without me, mate." Michael shrugs unconcerned. Zayn hands over her credit card and ignores the heat in her cheeks and the way her stomach is fluttering nervously. When he hands her over her card and receipt, Michael leans in so that he can speak to Zayn. "She's really great. And she's fancied you for ages. Don't let us change your mind about her."

Liam has moved over to Ashton's register and is fixing a problem that he's having with the system. Once his sale is ready to proceed she grins at him. That grin makes Zayn's knees go weak.

Zayn sees the smile on Michael's face and she averts her eyes, blushing. 

"I guess I don't have to worry then."

She only shakes her head.

Once they've completed everything on Zayn's shopping list, they head to the car park. Zayn safely locks everything in the boot of the car and pulls Liam close. They're joined only by their hands between them and Zayn looks up at Liam who is staring at her in wonder.

"So, Louis? Was it planned for him to come and see me? Talk to me?"

Liam shakes her head. "No. I think he was just tired of me talking about you all of the time. How much I wanted to go over and talk to you but was too scared. He came by one day and saw you at work. Then he saw the bloke you work with, Harry? And that's when he said he needed to actually go in and do some recon. I thought he meant for himself with Harry. I didn't expect him to talk to you."

Zayn can't hide the grin on her face. He just came in two times. Showed me pictures of you and I immediately wanted to die with how fit you are. How gorgeous."

Liam confesses that she's been meaning to buy a computer for a few years now, but things kept coming up and she'd put it off for another month. And then another and another. And then she didn't really know much about them. Her Mum and Dad had bought her the computer she has now and wouldn't even know what to ask for when she did go shopping. 

"So Lou said that he'd buy it for me. That it would give me a chance to come by and talk to you. Plus, he said he got Harry's phone number so it was a present for both of us."

"I think we all got a Merry Christmas present this year," Zayn admits. She's cut off by the sound of Liam's phone chiming. It's an alert and she watches Liam wrestle with whether or not she should check it.

"It's okay Leeyum, check your phone. Might be something important."

Liam pulls her phone from her pocket and swipes it to unlock the screen. Zayn watches her smile and blush and lets herself relax.

"What does it say?"

"It's a reminder. Like, a calendar alert. For an 'engagement" at seven."

Zayn pretends to be surprised. "What?"

"Says "Kiss Me. Z."

Zayn leans in to brush her nose against Liam's playfully. "Louis was wrong, your calendar was grossly underbooked. I took the liberty of updating it." She's taken off guard by the display of confidence and strength Liam possesses as she pulls her close enough that they're chest to chest. Zayn tilts her head back and sees Liam grinning down at her. 

Liam's phone chimes again. She doesn't even flinch. 

"It says Kiss Me again. You're falling behind," Zayn whispers against Liam's jaw.

Their mouths meet in a gentle kiss. It's new and soft, everything that Zayn expects from Liam but with a hint that there is more hiding under the surfrace. Zayn only needs to scratch at it and she has a feeling that Liam will be nothing she expects but everything she's ever wanted. Their tongues battle between them until finally Liam pulls away with a barely audible groan.

"Oh wow, I've been thinking about that for months," she admits shyly.

Zayn smiles. "Don't have to think about it anymore. Now you can just do it."

"Good."

They share a series of kisses until Zayn's stomach growls between them. She's starving, hasn't eaten anything since a granola bar at breakfast and as much as she'd like to continue this, she wants food first.

"Lets get some food into you," Liam says as she pulls away. They share one more kiss knowing that there will be more to come. That this is only the beginning.


End file.
